Togo's economic road to recovery

Created: Thursday, 28 April 2011 13:00

The Togolese government's observations for improvement

The Togolese government, after commissioning a Diagnostic Trade Integration Study (DTIS) - entitled 'Revive the Traditional Sectors and Lay the Foundation for the Future: A Strategy for Export-led Growth' have made a number of observations about road networks, namely that major construction and rehabilitation works are necessary, as well as effective maintenance; the report notes the importance of the Port of Lomé and recommends improvements aimed at maintaining its competitiveness, which will be financed by development partners such as the World Bank.

On the subject of infrastructure, the report made a number of observations, of which the following are the most significant. Electricity rates are well above the regional average, which jeopardises Togo’s competitiveness in the manufacturing industry where electricity is a key input. With respect to communications (landlines, mobile telephones, Internet access), costs are very high relative to other countries in the sub-region where there is more openness and competition in the mobile telephone sector is greater. As for the road network, major construction and rehabilitation works are necessary, as well as effective maintenance.

The report notes the importance of the Port of Lomé and recommends improvements aimed at maintaining its competitiveness. In light of the normalisation of the situation in Abidjan and the reforms underway in Ghana, greater streamlining of procedures and their incorporation into the establishment of a one-stop shop for all import/export operations are taking on a sense of urgency.